Tulloch Lodge colt out of Silver Slipper Stakes

Golden Gift winner North England has been scratched from the Silver Slipper at Rosehill after returning unsatisfactory blood results.

Co-trainer Adrian Bott confirmed they had pulled the plug on the colt’s scheduled return in Saturday’s feature as a precautionary measure but still planned to press on with his Golden Slipper campaign.

“I wasn’t 100 per cent happy with his bloods so will wait another day,” Bott said.

Tulloch Lodge’s No. 1 seed for this year’s juvenile showpiece, North England was among the fancied runners for the Silver Slipper (1100m) and shares the second line of Golden Slipper markets at $11 with online betting sites.

The horse he relegated to the runner-up position in the Golden Gift, West Of Swindon, is set to kick off at Rosehill and co-trainer Michael Hawkes is upbeat about his prospects.

West Of Swindon settled near the tail of the field from a wide gate at his only start and rattled home to just miss, with Hawkes keen to see how he acquits himself from a better draw against the likes of dominant 2025 Golden Slipper favourite Wodeton.

“If he’d drawn a barrier that day he would have been a lot closer and he would have won,” Hawkes said.

“His sectionals tell everything. From a bad gate, he had to go back. It wasn’t the intention but when you draw a good barrier you’re two, three four pairs closer and you’re making your own luck.

“He has drawn barrier one (in the Silver Slipper), he should be closer.

“I know everyone is going on about Wodeton and yes, he’s a good horse. But ours is a good horse too.”

West Of Swindon was a $5 chance for the Silver Slipper on Thursday and at $17 for the Golden Slipper, while Wodeton firmed into $1.95 for Saturday’s feature following the withdrawal of North England.